54 ROAD, TRACK, AND STABLE. 



5 ^"^^"5 



name of Diomed, appear in the pedigree of Dame 

 Winnie, 1 the thoroughbred dam of Palo Alto, the 

 fastest trotting stallion yet produced. 



A controversy has raged bitterly among fanciers of 

 the trotting horse, and still rages, as to the amount 

 of thoroughbred blood that is desirable in a trotter. 

 The anti-thoroughbred party declare that " trotting 

 instinct " is what makes a trotter trot, and that every 

 thoroughbred cross tends to weaken this " trotting 

 instinct." The other party maintain that superlative 

 speed for a mile or more, at any gait, be it run, trot, 

 or pace, can be obtained only through the courage, 

 through the bone and sinew, of the thoroughbred. 

 In their view, the ideal pedigree for a trotting horse 

 is one which contains only just enough cold blood 

 to furnish the requisite action, — that bending of 

 the knee and long stroke of the hind leg which are 

 not natural to the thoroughbred. Electioneer, for 

 example, had excellent trotting action, and trans- 

 mitted it to his colts from thoroughbred or half- 

 bred mares. 



This is not the place to engage in the controversy, 

 but I cannot resist making two remarks that bear 

 upon it. First, then, beauty, style, a high spirit, intel- 

 ligence, and courage ; these surely are desirable quali- 

 ties in a trotter, — the last named is an indispensable 

 quality, — and their only source is thoroughbred 

 or Arab blood. But secondty, in a degree, there is 



1 Dame Winnie, a chestnut, is by Planet, by Eevenue, by Trus- 

 tee. Planet's dam was Nina by Boston. The dam of Dame Winnie 

 was Liz Mardis by Glencoe. The second dam of Dame Winnie 

 was Fanny G by Margrave. Her third dam was Lancess by Lance, 

 bv American Eclipse. The fourth dam of Dame Winnie was by 

 Aratus, son of Director by Sir Archy. 



